Obituaries

Theodore (Ted) M. Escobar, 89, of Granger, a long-time
Valley resident, died in his sleep Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, at his home.

Mr. Escobar was born April 22, 1915 in Silver City, New
Mexico to Ramon and Bernabe Escobar. After his father’s death, he started his
work career at the age of five, selling newspapers, tamales and tortillas
door-to-door to help his mother earn the family living. He continued to work
until age slowed him down during his 88

th

year.

Along with his mother, older sister Juanita and younger
sister, Jesus, a 12- year-old Ted Escobar went to the Worland, Wyo. area by
contract train in 1927 to work in the sugar beet fields, thinning, hoeing and
topping. Seven years later he moved up to the Billings, Mont. area to do the
same. Not long afterwards, Mr. Escobar met Juanita Franco, while both lived
with their families in the “Colonia” farm worker housing of the Great Western
Sugar Company. They married in 1937 and built a house on Billings southside.
Their first three children were born there. Mr. Escobar came to Washington
briefly in 1941 and worked in the asparagus and pea harvests in the Walla Walla
area. He visited the Yakima Valley and recognized its promise. He moved his
family to the Outlook area in 1943. That winter, he and his wife thought they’d
found paradise. They never left.

Mr. Escobar was a carpenter. He worked on McNary Dam, the
Columbia Center Mall and in housing construction. In his later years, Mr.
Escobar worked as an interpreter for the Department of Social and Health
Services.

Mr. Escobar was civically involved in Granger for many
years. He helped establish the community service organization, Mutualista Club,
in 1968 and was its president several times. He was one of the first Hispanic
school board members in the county, serving in the 1970s.

Through all of those endeavors, Mr. Escobar was forever a
man of the earth. He was a farm worker, a farm worker contractor, a farmer, and
a farm-to-market trucker. Most people knew him for a truck garden along the
freeway in Granger. If he was not on the job elsewhere, he was farming.

Mr. Escobar was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita
Franco Escobar, in 1992; a granddaughter, Brenda Escobar, in 1993; and a
grandson, Daniel Dabalos, in 2000.

Viewing and visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 26, from 1
to 8 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, Sunnyside. Recitation of the Rosary for Mr.
Escobar will be held Friday, Nov. 26, 2004, at 6 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home,
Sunnyside. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 27,
2004, at noon at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Yakima. Mr. Escobar will be laid to rest
beside his wife, Juanita, at Elmwood Cemetery in Toppenish.

FREDRICK PAUL KILIAN

Fredrick Paul Kilian, 64, of Sunnyside left his earthy
family to become whole and celebrate with Jesus Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, from
Yakima Memorial Hospital.

Fred was born Aug. 2, 1940 in White Bluffs, the son of Lina
(Kafer) and Herman Kilian Sr. He graduated in the top five percent of the
Sunnyside High School class of 1958. Fred had been working on the family farm
his entire life and continued to farm after graduation. On June 3, 1967 he
married Karon Anderson at Calvary Lutheran Church in Sunnyside. After 25 years
of marriage, he married her again on May 31, 1992.

Over the past 30 years, Fred served on many committees
including, Bleyhl’s Board of Directors, PUD Board of Directors,
Welch’s/National Grape Nominating Committee, Advisory Committee, Delegate,
National Director and President, Welch’s Director and Chairman of the Board.
Fred was a proud recipient of the Sunnyside School District Wall of Fame
honors. He served on the Sunnyside School Board from 1981 to 2004 and was a
very active member of Calvary Lutheran Church, Sunnyside.

Fred enjoyed charter fishing trips in Ilwaco, time spent at
the cabin near Mt. Adams and Disney family vacations. He also spent many hours
reading, playing computer games and enjoying Highlights Magazine. Fred loved
farming and the “secret” ice cream trips with his grandkids unbeknown to their
parents.

Fred is survived by his wife of 37 years, Karon Kilian of
Sunnyside; two daughters, Diana Kilian of Sunnyside, and Becky Norem and
husband, Jeff, of Zillah; two sons, Paul Kilian and wife, Kim, of Sunnyside,
and David Kilian and wife, Danielle, of Vancouver; seven grandchildren, Kelsey,
Kyle, Cortney, Alyson, Zackary, Samantha and Baby (Mac) on the way; one sister,
Julie Towner of Spokane; and three brothers, Herman Kilian Jr., Winfield Kilian
and Ervin Kilian, all of Sunnyside.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters,
Lina Kilian and Marie Wariner.

Viewing and visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 26, 2004,
from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, Sunnyside. Funeral services
will be held Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004, at 10 a.m. at Sunnyside High School
auditorium. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Fred’s memory may
contribute to the Fred Kilian Scholarship Fund or to Calvary Lutheran Church.

Beth was born Sept. 23, 1919 in Franklin, Idaho to Thomas
William and Elizabeth Martha Biggs Durrant.

She married Heber Russell Thornock for time and eternity on July 5, 1939
at Logan, Utah, in the Latter-day Saints Temple. Following their marriage,
Russell and Beth moved to St. Ignatius, Mont. and farmed.

Due to the severe Depression, in 1942 they
moved to Vancouver and both worked in the shipyards during World War II. Beth
was a boilermaker welder and mastered the trade. Although petite and very
feminine, she could do anything she set her mind to in caring for her family.

At the war’s end, the family returned to St. Ignatius and
started a small dairy operation. In 1951 they sold their farm and moved to Grandview,
so Russell could work at the Hanford site. Russell died in 1996. In 2001 Beth
left the family home, dear friends and relatives in Grandview and moved to
Bluffdale.

Beth was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and helped pioneer the Grandview Ward. Her service in the
church included Relief Society and Young Women president, teacher, chorister,
and pianist. She was talented musically, and wrote many scripts and stage
programs. She sewed beautiful handiwork, quilts and enjoyed gardening. Beth’s
greatest talent and joy was being mother to her 12 children.

Beth is survived by her sons and daughters; Conna Beth
(Cleo) Hendricks of